APM on Panchayat polls;

NC, Congress, DPN decides to participate

Srinagar, Feb 3 (KNS): Besides all political parties of Jammu and Kashmir, the main opposition National conference and Congress Saturday decided to participate in all party meeting, called by the PDP- BJP government tomorrow, to decide the fate of the Panchayat polls in the state.
The Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti will be chairing the all- party meeting in Panchayat Bhawan Jammu. As per reports the state government has convinced the Government of India about the situation not conducive for the exercise.
National Conference, NC provincial president, Nasir Aslam Wani told KNS over phone that his party is attending the all-party meeting on Sunday. “Yes we are attending the all party meeting called by PDP, BJP government,” Wani said.
Criticizing the incumbent government, the National conference leader said that the government by calling the All Party meet is trying to pass the buck to other parties over deferment of the polls. “The present situation is the outcome of government’s inefficiency to deal with the situation. If government was really serious about the panchayat polls it should have taken on board all the political parties of the state and should have listened to their concerns ahead of announcing the Panchayat polls in the state,” he said.
Senior NC leader Ali Mohammad Sagar also confirmed to KNS that the National conference is attending the all party meeting in Jammu.
The State Congress Chief G.A. Mir told KNS that his party is attending the all party meet. “We had asked the PDP BJP government that Chief Minister herself should convene the meeting instead of panchayat Raj minister. Now when Chief Minister is chairing the meeting, we have decided to participate, “he said and added that if asked the congress party will put its point of view in all-party meet.
It is to mention here that the Congress Chief had told KNS that that Chief Minster Mehbooba Mufti should have convened the all-party meet.
“She is holding the portfolio of Home Minister and knows situation better. We think that there is no fun of participating in all-party meet convened by Panchayati Raj minister Abdul Haq Khan instead Chief Minister should head it,” G. A Mir had said.
M Y Tarigami said that CPI (M) will attend the all party- meeting. “It is unfortunate that Government first decided timing about polls then convened all party meet,” Tarigami told KNS, adding that his party favoured that grass root level should be strengthened.
MLA Khansahib, Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen who is attending the meeting said that situation was not conducive for the polls. “Polls should be deferred,” he demanded.
Ghulam Hassan Mir, who is heading Democratic Party Nationalist, said that government does not want to strengthen the grass root level in the state.
“Government wants to keep all powers in Civil Secretariat and not holding polls on one pretext or the other,” Mir told KNS and added that he is attending the meeting.
BJP State President, Sat Sharma told KNS that his party was ready for the polls. “We have started campaigning in every district of the state,” Sharma said. “We will put our point in all-party meet that polls should be held in the state,” Sharma added. PDP vice-president Sartaj Madni also said that his party will put its point of view in all-party meet. “Whatever is our stand about Panchayat polls, we will put in the meeting,” Madni told KNS.
The Panchayats completed their term in July 2016. Elections to panchayats were last held in April-May 2011 during Omar Abdullah led National Conference-Congress regime after a gap of 37 years. The government postponed these polls for several times in the last two years. (KNS)